News

Australia have reasons to hope in Mohali

Australia allrounder Moises Henriques during the second Test against India in Hyderabad. (Getty Images)

New Delhi: The last time Mohali hosted a Test match was in 2010. It was India v Australia then and it's going to be India v Australia again three years later - with Australia expected to feel more at home on a traditionally bouncy track.

India beat Australia by just one wicket in 2010 when the hosts survived Mitchell Johnson's five-for, with Ben Hilfenhaus and Doug Bollinger also among the wickets. Zaheer Khan - who is not part of the squad now - also enjoyed the bounce and swing on offer as 25 batsmen succumbed to pacers.

Those are reasons enough for allrounder Moises Henriques to be positive about Australia's chances of preventing India from winning the series at the PCA Stadium in Mohali. "I think it is one place in India, or one of the few places in India, that is renowned for a bit of pace and bounce," Henriques told Cricinfo with his experience of playing limited-overs cricket in Mohali. "But in comparison to wickets in Australia, there still won't be the same amount that you get back home. But it's certainly one place where the quicks could come in and do a little bit more damage on."

Though playing as an allrounder, Henriques hasn't done anything of note with the ball in the first two Tests of the series, managing just one wicket at 93. "It has been tough. I feel like I've been bowling okay without really having that penetration to get through and take some wickets, which a lot of the seam bowlers have been struggling with over here," Henriques said.

Henriques, however, has enjoyed a good time with the bat, scoring two half centuries in his debut Test at Chennai. At Hyderabad, he fell to spin in the first innings and was run out in the second. But he recognises his responsibility as an allrounder, hoping to be among the wickets under helpful conditions in Mohali.

"I've got to not only be able to keep it tight as the allrounder and build pressure but somehow find a way to start taking some wickets as well. It is tough for the quicks over here but maybe we're not coming up with the right plans," the allrounder from New South Wales said.